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Celebrating or boasting of past successes will not in itself solve present problems. Contemporary challenges must still be addressed with a contemporary solution even if the solution is inspired or informed by the past.

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The premise of this proverb is on the simplicity of a parent’s challenge if their child is crying due to hunger. It will make little sense for the parent to remind the child of what he/she ate yesterday in order to satisfy his/her present hunger. Likewise, our elders observed that we must constantly be aware of contemporary challenges and focus on addressing them accordingly. Past glories can inspire us or provide direction but their reminder is not a solution in itself – one still has to solve the challenges of today.

The application of this proverb is almost obvious. Where there is a present challenge, the past cannot be used to divert attention or provide comfort. Usually directed at leaders, managers and others in a position of power or influence, it is a rebuttal to those wishing to use past successes or glories as a comfort for the present challenges without providing an adequate contemporary solution.